One of the side effects of remaining sedentary sitting in a chair or lying in a bed for too long is that patients tend to develop bedsores. Medically, these pressure sores are known as decubitus ulcers. But no matter what you call them, they spell real trouble for elderly patients.
The areas where bedsores develop are usually where the skin is thinnest and bony areas are prominent. Ankles, heels, hips, shoulders, spine and the tailbone are all sites of frequent bedsores.
The good news for those with elderly loved ones in nursing homes and long-term care facilities is that bedsores are 100% preventable. But if they are not tended to carefully, they can cause a patient’s condition to degrade to the point of death.
Bed-bound patients should be repositioned regularly to avoid developing bedsores. The same holds true for patients who are confined to wheelchairs. If bedsores begin to develop, early medical intervention can retard the process.
If you have a loved one in a facility and they develop bedsores, someone on the staff is not doing their job. This negligence needs to be addressed immediately or your loved one is at real risk of a worsened condition or even death. Don’t hesitate to speak up, as untreated bedsores will only continue to worsen.
You may be the only advocate who is able to speak up for an elderly person. Seeking advice and counsel from a Florida elder law attorney can provide you with a plan of action should you need to take legal steps to protect your relative.
